Avoid problems with proper surface preparation
and the right choice of coatings

PERFECT PAINT:

The Best First Impression

facility’s interior paint is an instant indication of a building’s upkeep and character. Commonproblems like adhesion anddurability age a building’sappearance and lead to costlyremedies. What kind of impres-sion is your paint making?

Common Paint Problems

Industry experts agree that adhesion, durability, and improper surface preparation are the most
frequent paint issues encountered by facilities
professionals. If the paint does not adhere properly
to the substrate, paint failure is imminent. Adhesion
problems – delamination, bubbling, or blistering –
can be caused by improper paint application, defective materials, or, more often, a chemical reaction

BY JENNA AKER

between the coating and the surface.

Issues with paint durability also plague thebuildings industry. “Inconsistent application createsissues with durability,” says David Kyle, executivevice president at Master Painters Institute (MPI)in British Columbia, Canada. “Trades will oftenapply the minimum they need to make the job looksatisfactory. Even if the requirement is three coats,frequently only two will be applied.”Cutting corners like this and using poor qualityproducts based on price alone contribute to poorperformance and a shortened service life.

“There’s no doubt that durability is a main con-cern,” says Rick Watson, director of product infor-mation and technical services at Cleveland-basedSherwin Williams. He finds that most durabilityand performance issues boil down to choosing anincorrect product. “Typically, standard commercialfinishes are used in most areas, but some areas re-ally need a higher-performing, pro/industrial typeof finish.”Improper surface preparation is also a root causeof headaches in paint performance.

“Getting walls ready for paint is critical to a successful and durable outcome,” says Rusty
Martindale, general manager, Segment
Division, at San Carlos, CA-based Kelly-Moore. “An accurate estimate is that
85–90% of a successful paint job is the surface preparation. Facility managers must
ensure that painting contractors remove
any grease, grime, nicotine, and other
contaminants. It is a mistake to paint right
over a wall surface before it is properly
cleaned, repaired, and prepped to receive
the paint,” Martindale explains. Yellowing
is another problem to anticipate.

“ Zero-VOC acrylic is in demand. These coatings apply easily, have terrific coverage and durability,
clean up fast, and offer a return to service within a
few hours with no paint odors remaining. A shorter
application time means getting a space back into
service quicker – and time is money.” — Rusty Martindale, Kelly-Moore